Not Only But Oh Well

[Jemble Fred]

It seems to be a fact now, we'll just have to wait and see how it emerges...

From some Welsh site:

Ifans to play comic genius
Jan 28 2004

David Williamson, The Western Mail
 

RHYS IFANS is to portray comic legend Peter Cook in a new television drama.

In what will be considered one of the most stretching roles of the Notting Hill star's career, Ifans will explore Cook's volatile creative relationship with comedy partner Dudley Moore.

Aidan McCardle, best known for his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, will play the diminutive co-star.

Fans of Cook have applauded Ifans for daring to try and take on the identity of one of the most ground-breaking television performers of the 20th century.

BBC Wales head of comedy Gareth Gwenlan, who produced television classics such as The Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin and Only Fools And Horses, knew Cook in his later years.

He said, "I think Rhys is absolutely perfect."

Mr Gwenlan said both Ifans and Cook had a "wildness" to their personalities.

The Channel 4 drama will have the same name as one of the pair's most famous collaborations, Not Only... But Also. It will follow Cook and Moore's partnership from their early days in Beyond the Fringe to their acrimonious parting while recording Derek and Clive.

Welsh media agency Sgr n chief executive Berwyn Rowlands thought Ifans was up to the challenge. He said, "It's very difficult playing somebody who did exist; we must applaud him having the guts to tackle it, however I think he's the best person."

Mr Rowlands commented on the physical resemblance between Ifans and the young Cook.

Channel 4 was excited by the success of The Deal which portrayed the dynamic tension between the Prime Minister and Chancellor Gordon Brown. They hope Ifans and McCardle make just as compelling viewing when the programme is screened this Christmas.

A spokeswoman said, "It was like finding our comic equivalent of Blair and Brown."

Fans of Cook and Moore will argue that the two men had as great an impact on British comedy as the arrival of New Labour had on politics.

Mr Gwenlan said, "They had extraordinary and different and complementary talents. The BBC felt it was capable of being brave and that any innovation which was going to happen should happen on the BBC."

Mr Rowlands agreed that Cook's "funny and disturbing" contribution to British humour was unique and lasting.

He said, "I think it's only by taking to people first-hand that you get any sense of the impact he had at the time.

"I think his influence is still there and most of our comedians wouldn't be doing what they are doing without the work of Cook and his proteges."

Although stories of Cook's drinking and depression have become common since his death in 1995, Mr Gwenlan said this was not a picture of the man he recognised.

He said, "I don't think it was a secret to say he was a heavy drinker. He was not a grumpy old man at all.

"He was charming and extremely calm and very benign and reasonable. Sadly he had done a bit too much damage to his organs in his later years."

This is not the first time that Ifans has been linked to a production about the life of a celebrated British comedian known for his fondness for alcohol. There was speculation in 2002 that he might accept the role of Monty Python member Graham Chapman in biopic Gin and Tonic.

I'm sorry I'll quote that again:

Fans of Cook have applauded Ifans for daring to try and take on the identity of one of the most ground-breaking television performers of the 20th century.

Is that in the same way that fans of Jesus applauded David Icke for being his reincarnation? The odd thing is, Ifans looks a million times more like Chapman than Cook - in fact no known actor looks like Cook. The best interpretation of Pete (what I've heard of) Is Jeremy Limb of Limb & Perrit or whatever they're called, but then he look nothing like Cook either. I like Ifans, he's a great actor, and at least women can find him attractive, whereas poor old Rob Brydon (the first mooted Cook) was just... too different. But it's a foregone conclusion that this won't be anything like Cor Blimey - am I wrong to believe that it's harder to ape Cook & Moore than Sid James, Kenneth Williams & Barbarar Windsor? No.

Still, may as well look on the bright side. I'll write my Cook & Moore drama in fifty years or so anyway, when everyone concerned is dead.

Here's that casting once again:









(He's Steve Coogan's cousin you know!)

[kidsick5000]

I see good old Steve has donated his early 90's haircut too him too.


I cant see anything wrong with the casting. The are vaguely similar to their meant-to-bes. Well, the Dudleys less so.
Its down to whether they can carry off the personas off to a convincing degree.
Steve Coogan looks nothing like Tony Wilson, but is very very convincing. (okay, there is a fine line between playing some and an impersonation).

I reckon it could work. Also depends on the surrounding characters looking something like.

There was one of those Beatles films once. It was about their early days in Liverpool. I think its the one with Nick Cotton as George. But even he is the identical twin of Harrison compared to the guy that played john lennon.

This is a hint for all you future biopic makers: When looking to portray a youthful musician, say, aged 19-20 ,scouse, of unconventionally good-looking but with immense charisma, DO NOT, hire an over weight 40 yearold from Bradford .
You gotta see it. This guy looks more like Lard than Lennon.
(see also everyone who wasnt Sid and Nancy from Sid and Nancy)

If this one doesnt work out, therell be another one along soon

[Darrell]

I have a feeling that it'll perpetrate the same sort of bollocks as that C4 Derek and Clive 'documentary'.

I'm looking forward to the Ad Nauseum scene where Cook bawls insults into Moore's face, causing him to break down in tears screaming "I hate you Peter Cook! You're just jealous of my Hollywood career!", to which Cook scowls off and slaps Judy Huxtable around the face. Add something about them all being drunk and hey presto.

[kidsick5000]

The thing to watch out for in biopics is how often they say the Name of the protagonists. Especially the full name.
Think who often you actually call someone by their name in conversation. It dont happen. It always "er" or "hey".
Its usually that theyve realised that the likenesses are that close so you might forget whos who.
Thats why it sounds so bag of spanners when its:

"Youre not being fair, PETER."
"Oh come on DUDLEY, I think I'm carrying you, DUDLEY"

"Excuse me. Im sorry to butt in, but arent you PETER COOK and DUDLEY MOORE, the famous comedians."

[alan strang]

You gotta see it. This guy looks more like Lard than Lennon.

Yeah, but Nigel Havers' George Martin was marvellous:

"Would you like a chip?"

"Uh, no thank you."

Captured the class divide beautifully.

[Blue Jam]

I like Ifans, he's a great actor

I like Ifans too, he is a great actor, but unfortunately he seems to have an inverse Midas touch...

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0406975/

...so it'll be shit.

(I never knew he was in Spatz. Bloody hell)

[Godzilla Bankrolls]

Ifans' accent in Little Nicky is atrocious. He may have difficulty doing Cook and his various comedy voices.

[Plank]

I have a feeling that it'll perpetrate the same sort of bollocks as that C4 Derek and Clive 'documentary'.

I'm looking forward to the Ad Nauseum scene where Cook bawls insults into Moore's face, causing him to break down in tears screaming "I hate you Peter Cook! You're just jealous of my Hollywood career!", to which Cook scowls off and slaps Judy Huxtable around the face. Add something about them all being drunk and hey presto.

I listened to Ad Nausium last night partly to see if if there was anything in this whole, "it's just Cook slagging off Moore the whole time while Moore can't get a word in edgeways", thing. As I suspected it was all bollocks, as all I could hear was two old mates having a laugh about cunt kicking, the gross misuse of the postal service and wanking over the pope's dead image. The one track that Cook did appear to be abusive to Moore, Moore was laughing his tits off. So where did this "Cook used Derek & Clive as an excuse to slag off Moore" attitude come from? I know Moore left the Ad Nausium recordings a day early, but that's not enough to sustain a theory that they hated each other with a burning passion, is it?

As for Rhys Ifans playing Cook. Feh. He's probably got as good a chance as anyone else of capturing Cook's personality.

[Darrell]

Get the Horn is just as amiable, too.

Although there may have been moments of personal grievance-airing in the sessions, it's all within the comedy. The actual non-recording stuff where they interact is all perfectly matey, natural banter.

The C4 documentary was pure tabloid propoganda.

*cut to Harry Thompson, reading his own book*

[Jemble Fred]

That point of view mainly came from absolute twats like Richard Herring*, lazy journalists and so on, and people who want Cook to be more of a hardcore monster than he ever was. For my money, Derek is every bit as funny and filthy as Clive throughout. The way that Moore generally runs through an alternative version of whatever diatribe Cook's just delivered is funny in itself.

I mean, there's a lot more in there that's very strong stuff, if you know the details. Things like Pete's 'My old man's got cancer' song, not long after Dud's dad had indeed died of that self-same disease. To my mind, it was just a big game of 'chicken', which Dud arguably won, because there's no point at which he castigates Pete. But one of my favourite moments in all Derek & Clive is:

Dudley, you're so drunk! Must be some kind of fucking alcoholic....

By the way, Darrell, what's this odd bee in your hat about Cook & Moore not being on anything when they recorded D&C? They specifically mention being drunk to some extent at times, and then there are all the Js... I'm not saying they were totally hammered, but all three Derek & Clive albums are recorded at different levels of inebriation.

*Okay, so I'm informed, for 'twats' read 'badly edited talking heads, who just happened to express twatty opinions at that time'.

[Darrell]

By the way, Darrell, what's this odd bee in your hat about Cook & Moore not being on anything when they recorded D&C? They specifically mention being drunk to some extent at times, and then there are all the Js... I'm not saying they were totally hammered, but all three Derek & Clive albums are recorded at different levels of inebriation.

Though they're not audibly affected by inebriation in any of it, it's the suggestion that they were completely fucked throughout and that's why the content of the albums is as it is that annoys me. If they hadn't had a drink/smoke at all, the results would be the same. It's raw Cook/Moore improv, not "what happened when Pete and Dud got pissed!!" if you get my drift. More the fact that people make an issue out of it and try to give it some importance than anything else.

[Peking O]

If they hadn't had a drink/smoke at all, the results would be the same.

I find that highly improbable. Why I myself am at least three times funnier whilst drunk *hic*

[Jemble Fred]

Bumpity.

Hello you types,

Today's RT contains the first pic from Not Only But Always, and a small article as well. I still haven't got my eyes back in their sockets yet. It's quite a nice picture... Anyone got it, and a scanner, and somewhere to host pics? I don't.

Jem

PS- Shameful Comedy Covers night inc. one Cook & Moore sketch, one Fry & Laurie and one Kids In The Hall, 8pm, opposite the comedy store, Thursday night. And that was an ad so sue me.

[Bert Thung]

I mean, there's a lot more in there that's very strong stuff, if you know the details. Things like Pete's 'My old man's got cancer' song, not long after Dud's dad had indeed died of that self-same disease.

Six years after he died. And Dud's wetting himself with laughter all the way through it.  

http://stabbers.truth.posiweb.net/stabbers/html/derek_and_clive/derekandclive_derek.htm

"Anyway, even though Peter and I knew that cancer was awful, it was something we wanted to ventilate. And in doing so we got into the most outrageous convolutions until we ended up competing with each other over who had the worst cancer...'I've got cancer of the wife'...'Only that? Well listen, I've got cancer of the house.' And it went on like that until we both got hysterical with laughter. As Peter said, there's absolutely no socially redeeming value about cancer, which is one of its greatest merits" - Dudley Moore, 1996

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

Is it me, or does he look like Richard Ashcroft in that picture?

[Partridge's Love Child]

Bumpeth.

Just a bit bored and decided to see how this little number was getting along.  A quick Google search led me to stumble upon some photos...



I Not Only found those photos, But Also got this from here (where they gleaned it from originally I can't say).

Not Only ... But Always

New film enters the private world of Pete and Dud, the warring kings of British satire
Cook's life, including his anarchic and often foul-mouthed routines with Moore, becomes a story in its own right
By Anthony Barnes, Arts and Media Correspondent
29 February 2004


Rhys Ifans, the actor best known for his portrayal of Hugh Grant's slob flatmate in the movie Notting Hill, will play Peter Cook in a "warts and all" Channel 4 film about his up-and-down relationship with fellow comedian Dudley Moore.

Not Only ... But Always explores the pair's life together - from their first meeting in the 1960s to Cook's death in early 1995, aged 58. Their often tempestuous partnership has been condensed into just two hours, and chronicles the pivotal moments in their careers.

Moore, the diminutive "sex thimble" who died nearly two years ago at the age of 66 from complications arising from a degenerative illness, will be played by the little-known Aidan McArdle, who has worked mainly on the stage. Ifans is the Welsh star who promised much in Notting Hill but has failed to find his stride after starring in a series of flops such as Rancid Aluminium and Love, Honour and Obey.

Cook and Moore helped to redefine British comedy with their anarchic wit and often foul-mouthed performances playing characters such as Derek and Clive.

Their work with Alan Bennett and Jonathan Miller in their Beyond The Fringe review made them the top figures in British satire, and Cook was also one of the founders of Private Eye magazine, while Moore went on to become one of Hollywood's biggest stars.

Channel 4 is funding the film as part of its new emphasis on drama, which the head of programmes, Kevin Lygo, said would help the station to "make a mark".

It is being made by Company Pictures, which backed the successful series Shameless.

The writer and director of Not Only ... But Always, Terry Johnson, was behind the Olivier Award-winning National Theatre show Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick about the romance between Carry On stars Sid James and Barbara Windsor. It was later adapted for television and screened by ITV as Cor, Blimey!

Johnson - a huge fan of Cook and Moore - was also responsible for the stage hit Hitchcock Blonde, starring Bond girl Rosamund Pike.

The executive producer of the film, Charlie Pattinson, said: "The thing about Terry is that he loves his characters. This is not a whitewash, but it's an extremely affectionate and tender portrait although it is 'warts and all'. I would really hope we don't upset anyone. Terry regards them both as greats of British comedy."

The Beyond The Fringe team found huge success on both sides of the Atlantic before Cook and Moore set out as a duo, establishing their "Pete and Dud" routines in which they appeared as cloth-capped Londoners who sat for hours discussing the meaning of life in deadpan po-faced style, which featured in their BBC series Not Only ... But Also.

Although they went on to work solo, the hedonistic pair would reunite occasionally for their filthy Derek and Clive dialogues.

But towards the end of their partnership, their close association had largely broken down, with Cook, who died of an intestinal haemorrhage, often cruelly mocking Moore.

Pattinson said of the film: "Predominantly it is Peter's story, but the emotional spin on the story is the relationship between Peter and Dudley, which has that sort of 'every relationship' quality to it whether you knew who they were or not. It's a marriage that explodes then comes back together and then explodes again.

"It uses markers from their creative life to tell the story, such as Beyond The Fringe, Not Only ... But Also, and it touches on Dudley's film career and Peter's less successful years."

Filming begins a week on Wednesday and will take place almost entirely in New Zealand, which will double for locations as diverse as Cambridge, New York, Los Angeles, where Moore made his home, the Caribbean, where they wrote together, and Exmoor.

Channel 4's head of drama, John Yorke, said: "It's a history of British comedy, a look at the psychology of a relationship and a portrait of post-war Britain - but most of all it's the story of Pete and Dud."

I still can't say I'm happy with Ifans as Cook, but then I'm not sure who I would've been happy with.  I wanted to do it.  I should also mention that when this was in casting, I desperately tried to glean some info about it in order to try and get a role in it.  I was told by Crowley & Poole, the casting directors who dealt with it in the UK, that they knew pretty much sod all, because the majority of the casting took place in New Zealand, because that's where the film was to be shot.  What did Cook have to do with New Zealand, I asked, to which they told me that it was cheaper to shoot there, and actually cheaper to recreate Soho in New Zealand than it was to shoot in the real place.

Edit: why does that photo appear when I click "Preview", but turn into a red cross job when I post it?

[Purple Tentacle]

My dad went to the theatre in Margate to see a dramatisation of the lives of Cook and moore a few weeks ago. I believe it was called "Play Whisty for Me".


I'm afraid that I can't elaborate any more about the content of the show as a) I wasn't fucking invited, despite the fact that I would have bit his hand off, and b) when I asked him questions on who was in it / what it was like, he was so vague I wanted to slap him.

The only bit he got heated about was that his Jehova's Witness wife got upset at the swearing in the Derek and Clive scenes.  Fucking fucking shitpiss.

[Partridge's Love Child]

I saw it about five years ago.  I get quite shirty about it, because I think it was a bit arrogant and knowing.  To be fair, Perret & Limb weren't allowed to use any of Cook & Moore's material, which meant that they had to write their own Pete & Dud-style dialogues.  However, the problem with this, is that they're effectively asking you to say, "Oooh, it's just like them" which doesn't work, because they were a one-off.  There's a reason you've seen fit to do a play about them - it's because they were superior to everyone else, you included.

I also thought it was irritating that the best jokes required you to know a lot about Cook's life beforehand - which meant that I was the only one laughing, and thus looked like a right oddball.  There's subtle one-liners about saving David Frost from drowning, about telling Frost that he couldn't come to tea with him and Andrew & Fergie because he was "watching television that evening" etc etc.

The chap who played Cook has a little hand like Jeremy Beadle.

[Purple Tentacle]

The chap who played Cook has a little hand like Jeremy Beadle.

That's the next biopic sorted then.

[Partridge's Love Child]

Look at the publicity photos on that last link.  He tries too hard to hide his spacky Beadle fist.  He's got a tiny cock as well, but on the other hand it's really big.

[Emergency Lalla Ward Ten]

INT. STUDIO. DAY

COOK (Swigging from brandy bottle): He's got this fackin' cancah, fack cunt, fack cunt, etc.

CUT TO DUDLEY LOOKING CONCERNED. MIX TO BLACK AND WHITE 8MM FOOTAGE OF HIS FATHER, PLAYED BY EITHER MARTIN FREEMAN OR GRANDMASTER MELLE MEL, DYING MOVINGLY. MIX BACK.

DUDLEY: Right, Peter Cook, I'm off to make Ten.

_________________________________________________________

Re 'They were pissed!!!': It's only 'My Mum Song' and 'The Critics' that sound affected by drink, to my mind. And even then, it sounds more like adrenaline than anything else. The D&C albums always have a bleak sobriety albout them, which I think makes them work. You can hear them desperately rummaging in their brains for ideas, and when they come up with something brilliant ('Being a carpet gets you nowhere...except at the Savoy, it gets you upstairs') it's audibly obvious how happy they are.

Also, am I right in thinking there's no alcohol on show during the Get the Horn film?

[a bald avuncular jew]

Look at the publicity photos on that last link.  He tries too hard to hide his spacky Beadle fist.  He's got a tiny cock as well, but on the other hand it's really big.

Fucking hell.  I do hope that quote gets stuck under your name with one of those avatar thingys.

[Partridge's Love Child]

Heh, it's one of my favourite jokes.

For what it's worth I thought Cor Blimey! was very good, though I'm not a major fan of some of Johnson's other work.  He definitely likes a comedian-related theme though -see also the play Dead Funny.

Hitchcock Blonde was very good so I'm led to believe.

[a bald avuncular jew]

Re 'They were pissed!!!': It's only 'My Mum Song' and 'The Critics' that sound affected by drink, to my mind.

Why are people so determined to insist that they were drunk throughout the whole thing?!  I do actually remember having conversations with people where they've went, "Got that Derek and Clive album, Dud sounds TOTALLY PISSED throughout!!"  That bit is always stuck in before any mention of how good the album itself is or anything like that.  I'm partial to a beer or two, but can't understand this almost heo-worship of famous people who may or may not be drunk.  Is it because they want to believe they themselves are this funny after a few pints?  Do American people also say "Those limeys were SO DRUNK" when discussing D&C?

[Jemble Fred]

Coffee and Js fuelled the D&C sessions in the film – my favourite drugs. But obviously there was some serious drinking going on for things like the My Mum song. And nobody pronounces 'loganberry jam' like Dud did unless they're utterly twatted.

Having seen those pics of NOBAlways, I have a horrible feeling that this film will make me cry, regardless of the countless mistakes they'll make. No film has made me cry since Drop Dead Fred (I was 14 or something ffs) but knowing the superb Terry Johnson's prediliction for maudling endings, plus the not-entirely-chirpy endings both Pete and Dud finally came to, I have a feeling that niagara falls will be in order.

[Hemi]

Also, am I right in thinking there's no alcohol on show during the Get the Horn film?

No alcohol is seen but there is definitley marijuana and what Cook refers to as 'the other stuff'.
*Adds him onto the list with Richard Pryor and Vic Reeves*

[Emergency Lalla Ward Ten]

Sorry to be a high court judge again, but what are "Js"?

[Purple Tentacle]

Sorry to be a high court judge again, but what are "Js"?

The letters of the law.


And joints.

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